The international organization Red Cross has confirmed that a local employee has died of Ebola in Sierra Leone becoming the first Red Cross volunteer to die from the deadly virus in the country. His death has added up to the death toll of health care workers and volunteers who risk their lives to help in battling Ebola.
According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, a male nurse, who was not named and worked as a volunteer at an Ebola treatment center in the eastern district of Kenema, Sierra Leone died on Tuesday. He was a confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease. However, for the last 37 days, no new cases were confirmed in Kenema.
The IFRC said that they are investigating how the man could have been infected with Ebola and whether it happened in his work or at home. They are now isolating 29 people who came in contact with him during the time of the manifestations of his Ebola symptoms. They will be under monitoring and surveillance for possible infection.
District medical officer Mohamed Vandy said "The family and co-workers of the deceased are now quarantined for 21 days." The maximum quarantine period for Ebola is 21 days. If the person develops Ebola symptoms within 21 days, due treatment will be initiated but if after 21 days, no symptoms would emerge, he or she is Ebola-free.
Health ministry spokesman AbassMamara told AFP as reported by CBC News that there had been no cases lately (37 days) not until the man was admitted to the hospital with the dreadful symptoms.
Sierra Leone is a neighboring country of Liberia and Guinea. These three countries are the worst hit during the Ebola outbreak. The outbreak has been in the region since December 2013 and until now, there are still a growing number of people infected with Ebola.
According to latest statistics and death toll rates, Ebola has killed over 8,500 people and has infected more than 21,000 individuals since 2013. Sierra Leone has seen 3,062 deaths due to Ebola in the yearlong outbreak. Health care workers' death toll is now 843.
